Extended Family

Chapter 53: First Flight

Starts when Katie is pregnant with Dahlia

"Love, you know it'll be a while before the baby will need this right?" Katie asked in a deeply amused voice, holding up a toy broom.

"I know," Harry said sheepishly.  "I just saw it while getting things and got really excited."

Katie laughed and pulled him close, kissing him on the lips.  "Hey, me too, don't get me wrong.  But we don't want to rush it."

"No you're right."  Harry sighed.  "What if the baby doesn't like flying or Quidditch?"

"That's normal because it'll be a baby," Katie said.  She frowned.  "Now if they don't like it as they get older, we'll deal with that when it happens but hope not.  I mean, we're both flyers and Quidditch fanatics, there's no chance the baby won't like flying, hopefully."

"We'll see, like you said," Harry said.  "No sense fretting now.  How old were you when you started flying?"

"I was around 7 or 8 I think.  Lyla never was all that interested in playing herself so she didn't try flying until a little older."

Harry smiled softly, suddenly remembering something.  He went to the bookcase and pulled out a photo album and went through the pages, finally stopping at one.  He showed Katie who started laughing, seeing a baby Harry zooming around on a toy broomstick.

"Oh you were adorable!"

"Were?!"

"Still are," she smiled, patting him reassuringly.  "Also, you were way too young to be on a broom."

"I think Sirius got it for me and Mum sent him a letter.  Apparently I almost took out the cat."  He and Katie chuckled.

"And you never rode a broom again until school."  Katie shook her head.  "Now that's flying talent right there.  With you and me, there's no way our baby won't love flying."

They looked around the nursery.  Luna had painted the walls like an open-air pitch.  Towers went up the walls with hoops on the north and south walls.  All four Hogwarts Houses pennants were shown as well as Pride of Portree colors. They already set up the crib and the changing table and a large rocking chair for them.

"Do you feel like we are forcing them to like our likes?" Harry asked.

Katie snorted.  "Not really.  I guess we could have painted in just soft colors and animal decorations but that's boring."

He hugged her.  "I can't wait."

Her eyes shone.  "Me neither."

-0-

A year and a bit later

"Nothing is working right now," Katie said tiredly.  "Dally is very cranky."

Harry was walking around slowly, humming softly.  Normally that was enough to soothe Dahlia but today she refused to be mollified, fussing and crying without stop.  He and Katie had exhausted all of their ideas to try and appease her but all had failed.

"Too bad we don't have a car," Harry joked.  "Hermione said that's how her parents put her to sleep sometimes, driving around with her inside.  Something about the vibrations."